Through a Lens Darkly: Grief, Loss and C.S. Lewis

Designed to help people dealing with grief, Through a Lens Darkly serves up a practical, Christian application of lessons contained in C.S. Lewis's A Grief Observed, which he wrote after the death of his wife, Joy Davidman, in 1960. The documentary includes multiple interviews with individuals who have endured intense grief stemming from tragedy: the murder of a mother, a teenage daughter succumbing to cancer, the shocking death of a band mate on the eve of success, an athlete's paralysis at the top of his game, and more. Each interviewee speaks of his or her private journey through grief in its many stages, from the initial intensity of raw emotion to denial, anger, and ultimately acceptance. Although the circumstances differ, common threads run through these testimonies, and illustrative passages from Lewis's book are cited and explored to help viewers understand the process these people have all undergone. Lewis's honesty about feeling abandoned by God is expressed by various survivors here, each of whom then talks about finding a way back to faith. DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, a music video, producers' comments, a PDF discussion guide, and resources for individuals ministering to the grief-stricken. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)